Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer
Title-chasing jockey Trevor Simpson raises his whip in triumph aboard 2-1 second favourite, RUM TALK, as the three-year-old colt wins the Governor-General's Stakes over 2000 metres in a thrilling three-way finish from ALLIEDFORCE, on the inside with Omar Walker aboard, and the favourite, MIRACLE MAN (Brian Harding), which is partly hidden, at Caymanas Park yesterday. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
In a terrific last furlong duel, RUM TALK outfinished ALLIED FORCE and "Horse of the Year' MIRACLE MAN to win the $1.1 million Governor General's Stakes over 2000 metres, in a driving finish at Caymanas Park yesterday.
Ridden by five-time champion jockey, Trevor Simpson - who earlier in the day was conferred with the National Honour, Order of Distinction by Governor-General Sir Kenneth Hall - RUM TALK (2-1) came from last to first to win by a neck from 6-1 chance ALLIEDFORCE (6-1) under leading jockey Omar Walker, with another head to the top weight and 1-2 favourite, MIRACLE MAN, with champion jockey Brian Harding in third. Six ran.
Sorted out themselves
It was this year's Derby winner THE BOMBER (9-2) who made most of the running from the rank outsider REIGNING HEROINE with ALLIED-FORCE racing close up in third, ahead of MIRACLE MAN and IL CAIMANO, with RUM TALK bringing up the rear as they sorted out themselves.
The race was on in earnest as they galloped towards the final bend with THE BOMBER, under lightweight apprentice Javour Simpson, leading by only a length from MIRACLE MAN with ALLIED FORCE close up on the inside and RUM TALK on the move towards the outside.
All four swung into the straight abreast of each other and with THE BOMBER coming under pressure approaching the distance, it was left to the three principals to fight out the finish. And in a thrilling battle over the last furlong, RUM TALK, on the outside, gained the ascendancy in deep stretch to score a hard-fought victory over ALLIEDFORCE on the inside and MIRACLE MAN between horses.
Owned jointly by Stephen and Valentine Chung along with Clovis Metcalf, and bred by Henry Jaghai, RUM TALK, a 3-y-o bay colt by Royal Minister out of Good as Gold, is trained by 14-time champion Philip Feanny, who is off the island. In his absence, RUM TALK was saddled by trainer Spencer Chung, who was a former assistant to Feanny before obtaining his trainers' licence in July.
It was the colt's third grade one win from six starts this season. He had previously won the July 7 St. Leger and the 2000 Guineas in April with Simpson up, to be the season's leading stakes winner with $4.2 million.
Winning jockey 'Slicer' Simpson said his plan was to ride RUM TALK from off the pace.
"When I asked him to move from the half-mile and he came four-wide into the straight, I knew the race was mine to win. But to my surprise, Miracle Man and Alliedforce kept finding extra and I had to work overtime for the victory," said Simpson, who starts a two-day suspension on Saturday.
Cliggott dies
Earlier in the afternoon, the debutante HOMBRE (8-1) from the stables of Noel Ennevor, romped the Hi-Pro Stables Choice Feeds Trophy over 1300 metres for native bred maiden and untried two-year-olds, with apprentice André Martin aboard.
Owned and bred by Wessel Burnett, the bay colt by Pat N Jac out of Muchacha Favourita, got the inside run and the lead entering the straight and streaked home by 3-1/4 lengths from HEART OF GOLD in a field of 12.
On a day when MAGIC MOMENT at 17-1 and HELTA SKELTA at 14-1 provided the upsets, Wayne DaCosta's AITCHEMESBEAGLE, the 6-5 favourite with Dane Nelson up, won the Ace Supercentre Trophy race over 1820 metres in a tremendous, last-furlong showdown involving the subsequently disqualified PECKUS OUT and MY TRAIN.
On a sad note, the legendary Hall of Fame trainer, Eileen Cliggott, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday, died yesterday morning at the UWI Hospital after a long illness.
